The Braves have three games against the Phillies at home this week before traveling to New York over the weekend for a three game set with the Mets. The Braves are 7-5 on the season which has them in 3rd place in the A.L. East, 1 game behind the Phillies. The Braves have outscored opponents 60-54 this so far this season. The Braves aren’t pitching or hitting as good as they can yet so look out when things start to click for them.

The Braves are stuck at 3-3 on the year which has them tied for 3rd place in the N.L. East with the Nationals, 2 games behind the Phillies. The Braves have outscored their opponents 33-22 this season. The offense needs to be more consistent if the Braves are going to take advantage of the outstanding pitching staff they have in place. The Braves travel to San Diego for a three game set with the Padres to start the week and they will play the Rockies this weekend in Atlanta. The Braves need to take care of business this week, plain and simple.

The Braves are off to a 2-2 start despite outscoring their opponents 23-14. The pitching is keeping up their end of the bargain as the Braves have a 2.50 ERA as a team. The bullpen has been as good as advertised as they are a combined 1-1 with 1 save, a 1.10 ERA and a 0.73 WHIP. The Braves need the offense to be more consistent as they have been very hit and miss despite averaging 5.75 runs per game this year.

Veteran starting pitchers Tim Hudson and John Smoltz have both been outstanding all season long for the Braves. Smoltz continues to defy Father Time as he keeps throwing bullets up to the plate. He has started 30 games this season for the Braves and he is 14-7 with a 2.97 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. He has worked 193.2 innings this season and he has allowed 187 hits, walked 44 batters and whiffed 181. Tim Hudson is pitching like the pitcher the Braves thought they were getting from the A’s three seasons ago. He has started 32 games this season for the Braves and he is 16-8 with a 3.33 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. He has thrown 210.2 innings this season and he has allowed 205 hits, walked 50 batters and whiffed 122. Too bad the Braves didn’t have anyone step up in the rotation to support Hudson and Smoltz in the rotation or the Braves would be in better position to make a run at the playoffs. They are currently 78-73 which has them in 3rd place in the National League East, 5.5 games behind the Mets. The Braves are also currently 5.5 games behind the Padres in the Wild Card Race. It will be hard for the Braves to make the playoffs now….but it’s not impossible.

It would take a miracle now for the Braves to make the playoffs as they now must be focused on the Wild Card. The Braves are now 74-71 on the season which has them 8.5 games behind the Mets in the N.L. East. But the more important number is that they are 5 games behind the Padres for the Wild Card. The tough thing for the Braves is that they are also behind the Phillies, Dodgers and Rockies so they will need to win most of the games they have remaining on their schedule. It will be easier said than done but there is still light at the end of the tunnel.

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